Black Ops tipped for Xmas No.1

Bookmaker Paddy Power has opened the betting on the race to be the UK's official Christmas No.1 video game, and the early favourite is perhaps not surprisingly Activision's Call of Duty: Black Ops.

The company is currently offering odds of 1/6 on the game.

So far it has only released odds on three other titles – EA's FIFA 11 (7/1), Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Brotherhood (8/1) and EA's Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (16/1).

Paddy Power is also taking bets on Black Ops' overall global sales. It's quoting odds of 11/8 on sales numbering below 20m units worldwide and 8/15 on the game passing the 20m barrier.

The number of reports on record pre-orders and the shops preparing themselves for a barrage of gamers leaves us with little option but to make the game a massive favourite for the Christmas top spot,” spokesperson Roberto Coladangelo stated.